Wedding photography dos and don'ts

Esther Muchene

After all the long tedious months of wedding planning, the last thing you would ever want is to get bad pictures. These are memories that need to be captured as they happen every minute - that perfectly placed centrepiece on the table, the beautiful drapes, the smiling faces and the carefully chosen wedding details need to make their debut in your wedding album.

How do you achieve that?

Dos:

• Choose a professional photographer. A referral from a wedding planner or a friend who got married and loved the services of a particular vendor would be the best option. Another option would be to walk around and see several vendors as you compare their service packages, prices and quality of work. On top of that check out their portfolio or wedding albums to know what to expect.

• Look out for the personality of the photographer. You need someone you can interact freely with. This will make your photos appear more natural as you will be more comfortable.

• Talk to the photographer and tell him/her your expectations. Give them a list of photos you want taken. Also, check in on him or her a a few days to the wedding to make sure you are still on the same page.

• Set enough time for your photo session. Nothing looks bad like a rushed photo session. This can cause frustration and remove the fun and natural factor. Talk to your photographer and ask how much time would be appropriate and factor that in when creating your wedding day programme.

• To avoid photographers disappearing before the reception is over, agree on the number of hours to be covered and whether there are extra charges for overtime.

• Make sure your make-up and hair are in the right place. Have certain things handy such as powder, wipes and make-up.

• Should you or your bridesmaids be wearing short or strapless dresses, make sure you visit the salon to wax the legs and underarms, or at least shave at home.

• Consider having photos taken at noon as opposed to when the sun is shining bright to avoid shadows on your face.

• Agree on when to collect the photos.

Don’ts:

• Don’t pose for all the photos. The best photos are candid and what they say is worth a million words. Shots of you having your first kiss or dance will capture that happy moment as natural as it is.

• After a few hours of standing and with so much going on, you are bound to be tired and to slack a bit. But don’t let this show in your photos regardless of how hungry or tired you may feel. Make sure your hands and feet are in the right position and all smiles are out. If you have to fake it for the pictures, do so.

• If your budget allows, don’t choke the photographer after the reception is over as more interesting things will take place at the evening party. You’ll be surprised at some of the funny pictures that can be taken as the party continues late into the night and your friends start showing their true colours.

• Unless you want strangers in your wedding taking photos of your guests and eating your food then out of nowhere posting the photos on a wall with white tape, then say no to paparazzi. If not, make sure they don’t interfere with the hired photographers.

• Shady poses are a no-no. Not only do they embarrass those involved but they also look wrong. If you do not want to do it don’t, unless it is for those silly fun-moments sake.

Your photos will last forever and the last thing you want is to look at poses you thought were cool back then only to wonder what you were thinking. Think of the future and go for timeless poses.

The writer is a certified wedding planner.

[email protected]